The present disclosure generally relates to virtual rendering, and specifically relates to virtual animation of a portion of a user's face within a head-mounted display (HMD).
Virtual reality (VR) systems typically include a display screen that presents virtual reality images, which may depict elements such as objects and users of the systems. Users can be represented by an avatar in the virtual environment. In some VR systems, avatars are depicted with only one facial expression, e.g., a default smiling or neutral facial expression, which prevents the user from having a fully immersive experience in a virtual environment. Facial tracking systems provide a more immersive interface. Existing systems that track facial expressions of users include a dedicated peripheral such as a camera, in addition to markers that must be positioned on the face of a user being tracked. These traditional peripherals and markers artificially separate the user from the virtual environment. Thus, existing facial tracking systems are unsuitable for use in a portable, lightweight, and high-performance virtual reality headset.